SUMMER SIZZLERS!

Keeping your horse hydrated and cool as temperatures rise over the summer months can prove to be a challenge; especially as busy competition schedules can mean a longer to wait in-between classes or championships at the end of a long and hot day. Here are 8 top tips for keeping your horse hydrated and happy this summer…

• Try wetting your horse’s hay to help him get further moisture uptake.
• Some horses can be particular about taking water from a different source, so if possible travel your horse with water from home. If you are staying away at a show then try adding an apple cordial to your horse’s water to encourage him to drink.
• Never load your horse straight after your class, allow him to cool down, take some fluids and relax, before loading him up to travel home.
• Try and park the lorry in some shade and if there is none then keep your horse inside the lorry with the ramp down so he has some shade without being directly under the beating sun.
• If it’s really hot, try and keep your warm-up to the minimum, remember with the heat your horses’ muscles will get warmer quicker anyway, but if your horse is quite fresh and needs working in properly, then try and ride him earlier in the morning, so that the warm-up just before your class doesn’t have to be as extensive.
• Including salt and electrolytes are key because your horse needs electrolytes to rehydrate effectively and salt plays a key role in ensuring your horse receives sufficient sodium chloride.
• It is of paramount importance that horses can drink ad libitum. Drinking water means that water gets inside, but how long your horse stays hydrated is influenced in part by the presence of electrolytes. This is yet another reason why micronutrient loaded horses love Aloeride.
• There are a lot of cooling products on the market, created to help keep your horse cool during the hot weather. We love the Equi-N-IcE Rapid Cooler Rug, which you simply activate by popping the rug in a bucket of their coolant for a fresh rejuvinating cooling effect! This unique cooler actually draws the heat away from the muscles by rapid evaporation to drop the temperature of the horse as quickly as possible to reduce thermal strain. You can win this fantastic rug along with 1 month supply of Aloeride by heading over to our Facebook page!